Hunt Slade, owner of Safehouse in Griffin which burned in downtown Griffin Monday night, offered these words of comfort:
To all of our friends and family that share in the loss of our beloved shop this evening to fire - thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. The worst site tonight was not the flames breaking through the roof of the building or the smashed in windows; it was the distraught look on the faces of those that have come to know each other within its walls. Well, before I collapse into bed I want to tell you this - Safehouse is not a building and it is not a person. Safehouse is a community of people who believe in something better for their lives and their town. So hug each other and be thankful that we can all see one another tomorrow. This fire claimed wood and metal but took no lives - not a single person was injured and so we go on. We will rebuild. We will start over with all of the experience we have gained and all of the powerful heartfelt relationships we have grown and we will all be stronger for it. Make something that counts and share it with someone - we did and not even a raging fire could destroy that. I am grateful for you all.

Objectivity – it is the absolute bedrock of science. There is no notion, idea, hypothesis, concept, principle, axiom, maxim, theory, or law more fundamental to science than objectivity. In fact, in the absence of objectivity, science does not exist. Call it what you want, but it ain’t science.

So what happens when scientists in general lose their objectivity? They become anything but scientists – beach bums, flower children, Birkenstock-wearing granola munchers, bearded recluses in self-imposed exile from the outside world. A sad thing indeed.[Full story »]

If you want to know about seismic activity in Pike County, surrounding areas or even worldwide, EarthScope makes that information accessible online. The EarthScope scientific community, a National Science Foundation program, dug an eight foot hole in Pike to install its geophysical technology Jan. 19.
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West Central Pre Release Center warden Edd Sanders addressed county leaders and commissioners at the annual retreat about the facility’s upcoming mission change. He said the facility will continue to house women only but it will become a Correctional Recovery Academy, offering comprehensive, court-ordered substance abuse programs for them.
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The American Cancer Society is obsessed with numbers. It knows every number associated with a cancer statistic represents an individual, family, friend and community affected by the diagnosis.
According to cancer.org, 15 years ago the society set aggressive goals for 2015 to measurably reduce the impact of cancer, decrease cancer mortality by 50%, reduce cancer incidence by 25% and improve quality of life for people with the disease.[Full story »]

Directions:
Toss the onion with the vinegar and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, cook the turkey bacon as the label directs until crisp.
Mash the avocado with the yogurt in another small bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Lay 4 slices of bread on a cutting board and spread with half of the avocado-yogurt mixture. Top with the lettuce and tomato and season with salt and pepper. Add a layer of turkey breast, bacon, cucumber and red onion. Spread the remaining avocado mixture on the remaining 4 bread slices and top the sandwiches.

Registration for Pike County Youth Soccer Association’s spring 2012 season is now open. Fees are $65 for under 6 and under 8 players; $75 for players under 10 through under 19. Register by going to pikesoccer.org and click on the Registration tab.
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It was another cold winter morning, at 28 degrees when I got up Thursday at 6 a.m. It made me think of my early life, getting ready for school with no heat except the open fireplace, no inside plumbing and no electricity at all. Thank goodness we didn’t live far from the school. It was cold walking on frozen ground sometimes. How good it did feel when you would walk into your room and someone had a roaring fire going in the old pot bellied stove.
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Presidential candidate John Davis, who is attempting to visit every county in the United States in his quixotic quest for the Republican nomination, is scheduled to be in Pike County Saturday, Jan. 28.
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The Parks and Recreation Authority board members discussed moving forward with plans for a 2012 Pride of Pike celebration in July at their January meeting. Director Kevin Teate said pastor Billy Smith of Christ Chapel offered to help sponsor the event.
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